Original post 7 January 2015: This fantastic #venetiangothic style shop building in Drummond Street Carlton is very famous for the things on top - I was once told they’re 'kanga-griffins', wonderfully Australian #victoriana, but then someone else said 'no they're just traditional #medieval #chimera'. Whatever they are they’re great, and very unusual, in fact I … Continue reading Griffin-Roos, Drummond Street, Carlton →

Original post 5 January 2017: If you #lookup along the new #watertanklane off #spencerstreet (near the higher ground cafe) you'll see the #watertank itself on new yellow legs. It was imported from Gateshead in 1889 and used to hold a whole lotta water that was then pumped at #highpressure to power the cbd's #hydrauliclifts, ones … Continue reading Hydraulic power system water tank →

Original post 3 January 2021: A rare survivor on William Street near Little Lonsdale - under the white paint is an 1855 shop. Probably #bluestone. James White’s Hay & Corn Store. Built as an attached part of the original Metropolitan Hotel, and left behind when that was rebuilt in the 20s. Pretty intact, even the … Continue reading Hay & Corn Store, William Street →

2 January 2024 I quite liked it, though no idea if the design meant anything. The (in)famous ‘pickup sticks’ Centenary of Federation arch over St Kilda Road in 2001, designed by Fooks Martin Sandow. The second photo is from the Herald, which did a story in 2013 about Hume City Council, who had taken on … Continue reading Federation arch →

13 December 2023 Nubrik House, William Street, cnr Little Lonsdale, 1972, Buchan Laird & Buchan, one of the 50 or so postwar high rise in the CBD that got heritage listed last year. I don’t think they’re all worthy, but the idea was to list every single one that hadn’t been too altered. This one … Continue reading Nubrick House →

Original post 29 December 2020: Some more #LostMelbourne - this was the Presbyterian Chalmers Church in #EastMelbourne on St Andrews Place, behind #TasmaTerrace - which turns out to have been demolished a looong time ago, in 1905 ! I had seen this photo ages ago and assumed it was lost more recently. The manse survived … Continue reading Chalmers Church, East Melbourne →

Original post 30 December 2020 (photo 2017) : This charming survivor is on #BourkeStreet, just up from #HardwareLane and turns out to be quite old, almost #goldrush, built in 1858. It’s one of the many scattered pre WW2 places proposed in the #HoddleGridHeritageReview - which found it was built as offices for early entrepreneur #HughGlass, … Continue reading Bourke Street, quite old →

December 2020: There was a tradition of temporary arches across the street for celebrations, and for Federation, quite a lot were put up. Especially since the Duke of Cornwall (later George V) was about to arrive to open the first Australian parliament at the Exhibition Buildings on 1 Jan, 1901. The first one I’ve shown, … Continue reading Federation arches →

Original post 27 December 2017: St Peters, Clayton Road, Clayton, #IvanAnderson, 1966. Wild #cruciform roof over stretched sideways hexagonal plan; the steeper ridges were originally translucent, forming a cross of light inside. The front gable rises up dramatically, supported by a huge cross, but sadly its bricked in, the entry is now round the back … Continue reading St Peter’s, Clayton →

26 December 2023 This impressive pile on #PrincesStreetStKilda is often described as one of the oldest houses in #StKilda, but the very unusual verandah was built some time around WW1. Behind it, theres a house built in 1854, for Henry Field Gurner, who was born in Sydney in 1819 and come to Melbourne in 1841 … Continue reading Berkeley Hall, St Kilda →